The Coalition Government will provide $442,500 to support the Warra Warra Legal Service in its work to address family violence experienced by Indigenous women and children in far western NSW.
Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, said the funding formed part of the $25 million Indigenous-focused package under the Third Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.
The Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton, said: “The victims of domestic violence need to be supported as they seek help through the legal process. Ultimately this scourge of violence that is impacting on the most vulnerable members of our community must be eliminated.”
Minister Scullion said: “We know that community-based, culturally-appropriate solutions are required to reduce the rate of family violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. 
“This funding will enable Warra Warra Legal Service to hire an additional trauma counsellor and social worker to provide intensive support to victims of family and domestic violence.” 
Warra Warra Legal Service Coordinator, Shannon Oates, said: “This funding will provide greatly needed support for Aboriginal women and children who live in Far West NSW. The funding recognises that holistic approaches to addressing family violence are imperative. 
“For most of our clients, their legal matters form part of a broader matrix of interconnecting issues. We welcome the opportunity to extend our service delivery and focus upon healing and recovery. 
“In Far West NSW, isolation compounds other barriers Aboriginal women face in accessing services. Many of our clients have to wait six to eight weeks for an appointment with an approved counsellor through the Victims Support Scheme. Our new positions will reduce these wait times and provide a culturally safe space for this important recovery work to occur.”
Minister Scullion also announced that We Al-li, a specialist Indigenous organisation would receive $848,289 to develop and deliver trauma-informed training to all 14 Family Violence Prevention Legal Services across Australia.  
The Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Secretariat will also receive $300,000 to assist with implementing this training. 
“This funding is in addition to the base funding of more than $92 million over four years for all 14 Family Violence Prevention Legal Services nationwide,” Minister Scullion said. 
“We have actively sought the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on how best to address family violence. Warra Warra Legal Service has been identified based on its expertise, as well as local needs in the community. I commend it for its important work in Broken Hill.”